Lipid composition of the main fractions of rabbit semen

Rabbit semen contains mature spermatozoa and several other fractions (seminal plasma, droplets and vesicles) which are separated by various procedures. These fractions have a variable lipid profile: spermatozoa contain the largest amount of phospholipids (PL), whereas seminal plasma, droplets and ve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theriogenology 2006-03, Vol.65 (4), p.703-712
Main Authors: Castellini, Cesare, Cardinali, Raffaella, Dal Bosco, Alessandro, Minelli, Alba, Camici, Oliva
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Separation
cholesterol
Cholesterol - analysis
lipid content
Lipid profile
Lipids - analysis
lyso-phosphatidylcholine
Male
phosphatidylcholines
phosphatidylethanolamines
phosphatidylinositols
phosphatidylserines
Phospholipids - analysis
plasma membrane
Rabbit spermatozoa
Rabbits
Semen
Semen - chemistry
seminal plasma
spermatozoa
Spermatozoa - chemistry
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Summary:Rabbit semen contains mature spermatozoa and several other fractions (seminal plasma, droplets and vesicles) which are separated by various procedures. These fractions have a variable lipid profile: spermatozoa contain the largest amount of phospholipids (PL), whereas seminal plasma, droplets and vesicles accounted for 49.8% of the total PLs. The cholesterol content in raw semen was 811 μg/10 9 but was only 21–23% in spermatozoa. The main PL classes of rabbit spermatozoa were PC, LPC, PE, PS, SM and PI, which varied according to the separation procedures used. Percoll-separated spermatozoa (Sp p) showed an increase of LPC, a higher LPC/PC ratio but a lower lipid content compared to the theoretical amount. This membrane modification did not affect the number of live cells but greatly influenced the functional properties of the rabbit spermatozoa, i.e. the HOS-test and induced acrosome reaction. PC, followed by PE and LPC were the most abundant PL classes of seminal plasma, droplets and vesicles. These fractions have higher PE and SM levels and lower PC/PE + PC ratios than in the germinal cells. Some physiological implications are discussed.
ISSN:0093-691X
1879-3231
DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.05.053